How do Arya’s Faceless Man powers work?

Fans anticipate Arya’s Faceless Man powers becoming a big deal in Game of Thrones season 8’s final episodes. So how do they work?

Arya’s Faceless Man journey happened in season 5 and 6, which was an awful long time ago for everyone who did not do a pre-season 8 re-watch and also, they were never super clear about how it worked to begin with. Still, face-swapping was introduced to the Game of Thrones universe and ever since fans have speculated how it would come into play during the final battles for the Iron Throne.

Here’s everything we know about how Arya’s Faceless Man face-swapping, face-stealing powers work.

First, please enjoy this Inverse recap of how Arya has powers at all (and why that, too, is confusing):

"After Arya breaks the rules and uses a face to kill Meryn Trant, she’s punished with blindness. Towards the end of Season 6, after regaining her sight, Arya fails to kill an actress and is pursued by the Waif who aims to kill her. She’s basically banished from the Faceless Men at this point, but after killing the Waif and removing her face, Arya returns to the Hall of Faces. Jaqen proclaims her training complete. She’s finally “no one” (huh?). But Arya rejects this by reaffirming her identity and leaving for Westeros. Yet, inexplicably, she still has full access to these powers."

As Inverse goes on to explain, it’s implied on the show and stated by George R.R. Martin that the faces at the Faceless Men’s disposable are the faces of the dead. Dead faces are skinned and dried, and then when they are “worn,” some kind of magic kicks in to alter the wearer’s body too.

But, the show has broken its own rules (surprise!) and shown Arya’s face on Jaquen when she was very much alive.

What this means for season 8 episode 5 is very unclear! If Jaime (or Tyrion) dies, she would need to prep their bodies and skin their faces in order to wear them when she goes to kill Cersei. (Assuming she does not just choose to defy the valonqar prophecy.) But, maybe she is so powerful now (she did kill the Night King) she can just…borrow? their faces.

If Arya does do any face-swapping in season 8 episode 5 or the season 8 finale, chances are we’re going to be playing fast and loose with timelines again, witness to record-breaking face-prep speeds.

Game of Thrones ends next Sunday, May 19 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO with the season 8 finale episode 6.